JUDAIC 102 Quiz 2
In this medieval Hebrew illuminated manuscript, what is the cultural malapropism? Select one: a. The figure is wearing the wrong kind of hat; Jews were only allowed to wear a skullcap (kippah or yarmulke). b. Jewish law forbids the use of dogs when hunting, and the figure is leading two on a leash. c. The hunter is carrying a hare, which is forbidden to Jews according kosher law. d. The figure is wearing a robe with a belt, an indication of upper-class status and a dress code restricted to Christian religious leaders.
The hunter is carrying a hare, which is forbidden to Jews according kosher law.
In what way does Jewish communal autonomy explain why Jews survived thousands of years in diaspora? Select one: a. The presence of an autonomous Jewish community, protected and empowered by the Christian and Muslim states, helped prevent Jews from assimilating into Christian or Muslim communities and enforced the power of Jewish leaders to keep its members within the community. b. Strong militias were a vital part of autonomous communities, which protected Jews from violent attacks. c. Jewish communal autonomy forced the dominant groups to respect the kehilla as a sovereign nation, which prevented them from breaking treaties or other agreements. d. Jewish communal autonomy allowed Jews to acquire significant wealth and influence in medieval society, which sustained them until the modern era.
The presence of an autonomous Jewish community, protected and empowered by the Christian and Muslim states, helped prevent Jews from assimilating into Christian or Muslim communities and enforced the power of Jewish leaders to keep its members within the community.
When was the First Crusade? Select one: a. 711-713 b. 996-999 c. 1096-1099 d. 1266-1299 e. 1478-1492
1096-1099
If Jewish status in medieval Christian Europe was that of servi camerae nostrae, what was Jewish status in Muslim lands? Select one: a. aṣ-ṣaḥābah (companions of the prophet) b. abid al-Rahman (servants of the Merciful One, or servants of God) c. kafir (non-believer, or "one who covers the truth") d. ahl-al-kitab/ahl-al-dhimma (people of the book/protected people) e. alkhadam min gharfatina (servants of our chamber)
ahl-al-kitab/ahl-al-dhimma (people of the book/protected people)
In what century did Islam first arise? Select one: a. 1st century C.E. b. 2nd century C.E. c. 3rd century C.E. d. 5th century C.E. e. 7th century C.E. f. 9th century C.E.
7th century C.E.
Within the context of medieval Hebrew illuminated manuscripts, what did the Professor mean by "cultural malapropisms," and what information do such malapropisms reveal? Select one: a. A cultural malapropism is a mistake made in word or deed by someone who lacks familiarity with a different culture. With regards to Hebrew illuminated manuscripts, these malapropisms often suggest that the images in these manuscripts were created by Christian artists. b. A cultural malapropism is the evolution of a culture in a way that reverses its earlier position. With regards to Hebrew illuminated manuscripts, this can be seen in Jewish artwork depicting human forms, despite the fact that previous generations of Jews never depicted human forms, in conformity with the biblical prohibition. c. A cultural malapropism is the accidental substitution of one word for another, similar word. These types of errors are common in medieval Hebrew illuminated manuscripts, which reveals that medieval Jews often had difficulty translating between Hebrew, Latin, and other local languages. d. A cultural malapropism is a disagreement arising between people of two different cultures because each assumes that the other person has the same feelings or association as him/herself. These disagreements are represented in Hebrew manuscripts because Christians thought their representation of Jews (including hooked noses and horns on Moses) were flattering, while Jews found them insulting.
A cultural malapropism is a mistake made in word or deed by someone who lacks familiarity with a different culture. With regards to Hebrew illuminated manuscripts, these malapropisms often suggest that the images in these manuscripts were created by Christian artists.
From our point of view as students of history, why might it be inaccurate to conclude that Christianity did a "bad thing" by instituting the Inquisition? Select one: a. Historians must be purely objective. Having moral opinions on historical events, or trying to make connections between the past and the present, results in biased accounts, which are rejected by true scholars of history. b. As historians, our ultimate goal is to understand why events occurred a certain way. By dismissing events as "bad" according to our own moral standard, we fail to take in the context and different perspectives of people in history. This results in a simplified, and often inaccurate, understanding. c. Modern scholarship has concluded that many of the events in the Inquisition that we would describe as bad or harmful actually did not occur. Accounts of torture were exaggerated as a form of propaganda, and most, if not all, executions involved effigies rather than real people. d. By declaring that Christians were the "bad" side, we would be showing preference to New Christians and Jews, who may not be deserving of sympathy. There is evidence that Jewish communities also committed acts of violence against New Christians, and that New Christians consciously undermined the Church by evading church taxes and trying to convert Christians to Judaism. Therefore, this is not a "black and white" conflict.
As historians, our ultimate goal is to understand why events occurred a certain way. By dismissing events as "bad" according to our own moral standard, we fail to take in the context and different perspectives of people in history. This results in a simplified, and often inaccurate, understanding.
According to Reuven Firestone, in his article "Rituals, Similarities, Influences, and Processes of Differentiation" (pp.708-709), why did Islamic civilization not have a great influence on Jewish ritual? Two answers are correct. Select one or more: a. because rabbinical leaders issued a ban on Islam shortly after it arose, accusing Islam of being an imposter religion and excommunicating any Jew who came into contact with Muslim teachings b. because Islam forbad Jews from learning about Islam or studying the Qur'an c. By the time Islam emerged in the seventh century C.E., a significant portion of world Jewry lay outside the boundaries of the Muslim empires and was thus immune to the attraction of Muslim religious culture. d. because Muslim ritual was too similar to Jewish ritual to have any noticeable impact e. By the time Islam emerged in the seventh century C.E., Jewish ritual had become largely standardized by the triumph of rabbinical Judaism.
By the time Islam emerged in the seventh century C.E., a significant portion of world Jewry lay outside the boundaries of the Muslim empires and was thus immune to the attraction of Muslim religious culture. By the time Islam emerged in the seventh century C.E., Jewish ritual had become largely standardized by the triumph of rabbinical Judaism.
If the Crusades were a war Christians launched against Muslims, why were so many Jews attacked? Select one: a. Jews in medieval Christian lands supported the Crusades, which led Muslim leaders to attack Jewish towns in their own lands out of fear that Jews would betray Muslims. b. Christian soldiers were motivated by a desire to rid the Land of Israel of nonbelievers (whom they called heretics), and reasoned that it was even more important to rid Europe of Jewish nonbelievers since they regarded Jews as Christ killers and wished to avenge Christ's murder. c. Many Jews in Central Europe preferred that Muslims, who were strict monotheists, hold onto the Holy Land. They tried to give them aid, which prompted retaliation from Christian forces. d. Jewish militias believed Christian armies were being formed to kill them, so they preemptively attacked in some villages, and the Crusading armies adopted a policy of destroying Jewish communities in their way. e. Jews had protested the Crusades and refused to pay taxes in support of it, and were attacked by angry Christian fighters and civilians.
Christian soldiers were motivated by a desire to rid the Land of Israel of nonbelievers (whom they called heretics), and reasoned that it was even more important to rid Europe of Jewish nonbelievers since they regarded Jews as Christ killers and wished to avenge Christ's murder.
Who were the main defendants of the Spanish Inquisition? Select one: a. Christians of Jewish ancestry who were accused of practicing Judaism in secret b. Jews c. Muslims d. Christians of Muslim ancestry who were accused of practicing Islam in secret e. Old Christians who were accused of facilitating contact between Jews and New Christians, or allowing them to practice Judaism
Christians of Jewish ancestry who were accused of practicing Judaism in secret
How, if at all, did Christians attempt to protect Jews during the First Crusade? Select one: a. Christians baptized Jewish friends and neighbors so that they would not be physically harmed. b. Christians petitioned on behalf of Jewish neighbors, and some tried to grant them sanctuary on church grounds, in their palaces, or in their homes. c. Christian monarchs declared certain cities to be sanctuaries for Jews, and had them guarded by armed men loyal to the Crown. d. Christians did not attempt to protect Jews during the First Crusade, since the Crusader mobs would have attacked anyone who dared harbor a Jew. e. Christians did not offer direct help to Jews for fear of becoming targets of mobs, but they wrote petitions and letters of protest to Christian leaders.
Christians petitioned on behalf of Jewish neighbors, and some tried to grant them sanctuary on church grounds, in their palaces, or in their homes.
How did Emperor Henry IV, the Holy Roman Emperor who reigned during the First Crusade, deal with the problem of Jews forcibly converted to Christianity? Select one: a. He allowed them to return to Judaism. b. He declared that baptism could not be invalidated, because baptismal waters transformed the soul of the convert through the mark of Christ, and commanded that they must remain Christian. c. He declared that they must remain Christian, but that they did not have to baptize their children, who would be given the option to return to Judaism. d. He allowed them to return to Judaism if they agreed to move out of their current community, to avoid unpleasant confrontations with the Christians who were possibly responsible for the forced conversion, and to avoid unpleasant confrontations with Jews who had not converted. e. He allowed select individuals to return to Judaism, if they petitioned him directly, but declared that most must remain Christian.
He allowed them to return to Judaism.
How did Jewish communal autonomy in Christian lands differ from Jewish communal autonomy in Muslim lands? Select one: a. Jewish communal autonomy was enforced in Christian lands because Jews lived in segregated areas, while in Muslim lands, Muslims and Jews lived side by side, so Jewish communal autonomy could not effectively be enforced. b. In Muslim lands, Jews had legal communal autonomy (de jure). In Christian lands, everyone was considered part of a united people, so Jewish autonomy was necessarily unofficial (de facto). c. In Christian lands, Jews had complete autonomy in religious matters and limited autonomy in civil matters. in Muslim lands, Jews had limited autonomy in religious matters and complete autonomy in civil matters. d. In Christian lands, Jews had legal communal autonomy. In Muslim lands, everyone was considered part of a united people (umma), so Jewish autonomy was necessarily unofficial (de facto rather than de jure).
In Christian lands, Jews had legal communal autonomy. In Muslim lands, everyone was considered part of a united people (umma), so Jewish autonomy was necessarily unofficial (de facto rather than de jure).
How did the First Crusade affect the status of Jews living in Christian Europe? Select one: a. It lowered their status, as many fled to Muslim lands and the remaining Jews had fewer communal resources to rely on. b. It lowered their status in Christian society because the king's power was weakened, and they had to rely more on relationships with local peasants instead of the monarchy. c. It raised their status in Christian society because Christians were horrified at the extent of anti-Jewish violence in the Crusade and wished to make amends. d. It lowered their status initially, but once the population rose to pre-Crusade numbers, their status was not significantly altered. e. It lowered their social status in Christian society and led to increased economic instability, including greater reliance on moneylending.
It lowered their social status in Christian society and led to increased economic instability, including greater reliance on moneylending.
What did the Professor mean by applying the mathematical concept of "large deviations" to the Cairo genizah? Select one: a. The content of some of the documents found in the Cairo genizah deviated significantly from the content of similar documents in other places, which resulted in scholars radically changing some assumptions about Jewish culture. b. It was extremely unlikely for all the conditions that preserved the documents in the genizah—arid climate, importance of the city to Muslims and Jews for centuries, the decision of Jewish leaders to deposit all forms of the written word in the genizah, their reluctance to place the documents elsewhere—to occur at the same time and place c. Local Jews had, for centuries, not allowed outsiders to remove documents. It was very improbable that Cambridge would be able to access the documents, and the fact that they did gain access was a large deviation from the expected behavior of the local community. d. Genizahs usually store a small number of documents. The fact that this genizah contained so many documents is a large deviation from the norm.
It was extremely unlikely for all the conditions that preserved the documents in the genizah—arid climate, importance of the city to Muslims and Jews for centuries, the decision of Jewish leaders to deposit all forms of the written word in the genizah, their reluctance to place the documents elsewhere—to occur at the same time and place
In what way was the First Crusade (1096-1099) unprecedented in Christian history? Select one: a. It caused the first formal split between Western (Roman) Christianity and Eastern (Orthodox) Christianity. b. It was the first time in history that Christianity and Christ, typically understood by Christians to be symbols of peace, were used to justify violence by Christians. c. It was the beginning of a formal alliance between the Church and civil leaders. d. It covered the great expanse of territory of any Christian-majority empire in history. e. It was the first time that Christians acknowledged the importance of the Land of Israel to their own religious beliefs.
It was the first time in history that Christianity and Christ, typically understood by Christians to be symbols of peace, were used to justify violence by Christians.
In what important way or ways was Jewish existence in medieval Christian lands more secure and potentially more prosperous than the existence of peasants? Select one: a. Jews had more mobility, which freed them from the exploitation of feudal lords and dependence on the harvest, as they could engage in trade more easily. b. Jews were allowed to own land, rather than renting it from feudal lords, which gave them more security. c. Jews only had to pay one set of taxes, to the king, while peasants had to pay taxes to both the king and the local lord. d. Jews tended to live in separate, closed communities, while peasants were more spread out, because they lived on farms, and could not rely on their neighbors for assistance.
Jews had more mobility, which freed them from the exploitation of feudal lords and dependence on the harvest, as they could engage in trade more easily.
What mutual obligations did servi camera nostrae entail? Note: servi camera nostrae denotes "servants of our Royal Chamber," i.e. servants of the king. Select one: a. The king funded Jewish schools, and many Jews became scribes in the medieval courts. b. Jews served as the king's personal army in return for his protection of Jewish communities. c. Jews paid taxes directly to the king. In return, Jews were not required to pay taxes to local lords and received the protection of the king. d. In exchange for the freedom to practice their religion, Jews would often assist the king in political power struggles with religious leaders. e. Jews were allowed to live in the king's court for free, in exchange for acting as his servants.
Jews paid taxes directly to the king. In return, Jews were not required to pay taxes to local lords and received the protection of the king.
How, if at all, do we know that many Jewish survivors of the First Crusade and their immediate descendants regarded Jews slaughtered during the First Crusade as martyrs, to be admired as Jews who died for a higher, sacred cause? Select one: a. We do not know, since none of the epitaphs of the Jewish martyrs survive in the Jewish cemeteries of France and Central Europe. Therefore, there is no conclusive evidence to indicate what Jews thought of martyrs. b. Martyrs were praised in Jewish texts, including within documents, in the signatures of their surviving family members, and in gravestone inscriptions. c. We do not know. Jewish religious texts forbid martyrdom, and histories of the First Crusade express disapproval and embarrassment that martyrs disobeyed this prohibition. d. Many Jews in later periods, including during the forced conversions to Christianity in Spain in 1391, also committed martyrdom, and historians believe that the martyrs in the First Crusades were the inspiration. e. Christian histories praise the martyrs and state that Jewish friends and associates of the authors also admired them.
Martyrs were praised in Jewish texts, including within documents, in the signatures of their surviving family members, and in gravestone inscriptions.
In this medieval Hebrew illuminated manuscript, what is the cultural malapropism? a. The Hebrew words are written backwards. b. The synagogue has only one level of seating, but all medieval synagogues had upper balconies. c. The people in the image are facing west instead of east, towards Jerusalem. d. Men and women are seated together in a synagogue. In reality, females and males sat in separate sections in the synagogue.
Men and women are seated together in a synagogue. In reality, females and males sat in separate sections in the synagogue.
What Jewish community would we know almost nothing about if it were not for the Cairo Genizah? Select one: a. the Babylonian community, in what is today Iraq b. the Jerusalem community c. the community of Fustat, which is today a suburb of Cairo, Egypt d. Alexandria, Egypt e. London, England f. Muslim Spain
Muslim Spain
Who is associated with the mass removal of the documents from the Cairo Genizah to Cambridge University? Select one: a. Agnes Smith Lewis and Margaret Dunlop Gibson, lecturers at Cambridge b. Moses Maimonides, a rabbi in Egypt c. Solomon Schechter, a Cambridge scholar d. Franz Delitzch, the literary scholar who coined the term "Golden Age" in reference to the Hebrew poetry of Muslim Spain e. Dunash ibn Labrat, a Hebrew poet of Muslim Spain
Solomon Schechter, a Cambridge scholar
What major event happened in the kingdoms of Spain in 1391 concerning the local Jewish community? Select one: a. the Reconquista, when Christian forces began to reconquer areas of Muslim Spain b. the Umayyad invasion, when Muslim forces conquered areas of Christian Spain c. the beginning of the Spanish Inquisition d. Spanish Christians attacked and forcibly converted thousands of Jews to Christianity, incited primarily by the preaching of the Catholic cleric and archdeacon Ferrand Martínez, who encouraged the Christian populace to burn down synagogues and forcibly baptize Jews.
Spanish Christians attacked and forcibly converted thousands of Jews to Christianity, incited primarily by the preaching of the Catholic cleric and archdeacon Ferrand Martínez, who encouraged the Christian populace to burn down synagogues and forcibly baptize Jews.
In this medieval Hebrew illuminated manuscript, what is the cultural malapropism? Select one: a. The hunters are trying to capture a stag, which is not kosher. b. Jewish law forbids hunting, because it is not compatible with kosher slaughtering methods (an animal must be ritually slaughtered, not killed with a bow and error or gun). c. The image is upside down, indicating that the Christian artist did not recognize the direction of the Hebrew lettering. d. There are doves in the corner of the image, which are a Christian symbol, not a Jewish one.
The image is upside down, indicating that the Christian artist did not recognize the direction of the Hebrew lettering.
In the medieval Hebrew illuminated manuscript below, what is the cultural malapropism? Select one: a. The white-haired figure, Moses, is depicted with horns, which is a Latin (Christian) mistranslation of a phrase in the Hebrew Bible referring to the fact that Moses' face was illuminated (which Christian Bible translators took to mean "horned"). b. The white-haired figure is supposed to represent God, which is forbidden in Jewish law. c. The brown-haired figure, next to Moses, is supposed to represent Jesus, whom Jews did not believe in. d. The white-haired figure is holding a book instead of a Torah scroll.
The white-haired figure, Moses, is depicted with horns, which is a Latin (Christian) mistranslation of a phrase in the Hebrew Bible referring to the fact that Moses' face was illuminated (which Christian Bible translators took to mean "horned").
If a group living in a Muslim country had the status of ahl-al-dhimma ("people of protection"), what did that status entail? Select one: a. They could not be enslaved by a Muslim king. b. They had to pay their taxes directly to the king. c. Their life, religion, and property were protected by the ruling authorities in exchange for special taxes and humiliating laws. d. They were permitted to have their own tribunals (courts), fine members of their community, and establish their own schools. e. In return for the privilege of religious non-conformity, they were obliged to guard the city gates and protect its citizens from foreign invasion.
Their life, religion, and property were protected by the ruling authorities in exchange for special taxes and humiliating laws.
As discussed in class, what is one example of how some medieval Jewish writers ridiculed Islam? Select one: a. They portrayed Muhammad as a pimp (procurer) of prostitutes (sex workers). b. They accused Muslims of worshipping Muhammad and argued that Islam is therefore not a monotheistic religion. c. They indicated that Muhammad did not found the Islamic religion since there is no evidence produced during his lifetime that he existed. d. They mocked Muhammad as ritually unfit, making a pun on the word "messenger," turning the word messenger (rasul in Arabic) into the word for "ritually unfit" (pasul in Hebrew). (In Islam, Muhammad is known as the "messenger of God," or "rasul Allah.") e. They called Muhammad a pork eater.
They mocked Muhammad as ritually unfit, making a pun on the word "messenger," turning the word messenger (rasul in Arabic) into the word for "ritually unfit" (pasul in Hebrew). (In Islam, Muhammad is known as the "messenger of God," or "rasul Allah.")
According to Muslim theology, what error or crime had Jews committed? Select one: a. They killed Muhammad. b. They rejected Muhammad as God's prophet. c. They exiled Muhammad from Mecca. d. They tried to forcibly convert Muhammad to Judaism. e. They rejected Jesus Christ as a divine messiah. f. They killed Jesus Christ and were thus guilty of deicide.
They rejected Muhammad as God's prophet.
How did the Christian monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabel, deal with the problem of insincere converts to Christianity? Select one: a. They instituted a policy in which New Christians could only marry Old Christians, thereby diluting the Jewish ancestry of successive generations and making it more difficult for insincere converts to secretly practice Judaism. b. They forcibly expelled both Jews and insincere converts, whom they believed would tempt Christians into practicing heresy. c. They allowed a one-time reversion to Judaism, which was declared in the beginning of 1478; any New Christians could return to Judaism throughout the year, but any who did not had to reconcile themselves to being devoted Christians. d. They requested permission of the Pope to institute an Inquisition in their kingdoms, a tribunal that would put on trial persons suspected of being insincere Christians, interrogate witnesses, and encourage repentance.
They requested permission of the Pope to institute an Inquisition in their kingdoms, a tribunal that would put on trial persons suspected of being insincere Christians, interrogate witnesses, and encourage repentance.
In contrast to the past, why do present-day historians now believe that medieval Christian artists worked together with Jewish scribes to create Hebrew illuminated manuscripts? Choose one or more. Select one or more: a. Ultraviolet technology has revealed directions in Latin, covered by images, instructing the artist what images to create and where to place them. Latin was a language associated with the Catholic Church and thus few Jews could read or understand it. b. Because today's art historians fully reject the lachrymose approach to the past and assume that there was a great deal of class and professional solidarity between Christian artists and Jewish patrons of art or Hebrew scribes. c. The vast majority of medieval Christians did not know Hebrew and needed to know where to place their images and what the images should look like, so they could not have produced manuscripts by themselves and would need to have worked with Jewish scribes. d. A handful of surviving notarial documents signed by Christian artists prove the identity of artists working on specific Hebrew illuminated manuscripts. e. because in 1998, a huge collection of medieval Hebrew illuminated manuscripts was discovered in an Inquisitorial archive, together with a chest filled with signed, notarial deeds indicating the artists were Christian. Since the manuscripts originate all over the Christian world, historians knew then that the practice of Jewish scribes and Christian artists working together was the norm.
Ultraviolet technology has revealed directions in Latin, covered by images, instructing the artist what images to create and where to place them. Latin was a language associated with the Catholic Church and thus few Jews could read or understand it. The vast majority of medieval Christians did not know Hebrew and needed to know where to place their images and what the images should look like, so they could not have produced manuscripts by themselves and would need to have worked with Jewish scribes. A handful of surviving notarial documents signed by Christian artists prove the identity of artists working on specific Hebrew illuminated manuscripts.
Why is it usually difficult to know who illustrated Jewish manuscripts? Select one: a. Very few notarial contracts survive. b. Medieval people were forbidden to sign their artwork. c. Medieval people never signed their artwork, following medieval convention. d. Several Jewish artists used Christian pseudonyms in order to bypass Jewish legislation that forbade Jews to created images of humans or animals. e. Because they lived in a shared culture, the artwork produced by Christians and Jews was identical.
Very few notarial contracts survive.
What was the kehilla? Select one: a. a Jewish community b. a synagogue c. a merchant trading network d. a panel of Jewish advisers who served Christian rulers e. a school that taught Torah and Talmud
a Jewish community
What was the symbol Crusaders used on their armor when going into battle? Select one: a. a red, six-pointed star b. a Red Cross c. a red crescent d. a left-facing sauwastika (or sauvastika) 卍
a Red Cross
What is a genizah? Select one: a. a room usually intended for the storage of documents that are no longer usable, but have the name of God written on them, which Jews regard as sacred b. an archive where Jews kept old documents on file for later reference c. a Jewish school where Talmud is taught d. a bound collection of all the letters written by a particular Jewish sage e. a historic synagogue; Jewish scholars consider a building "historic" if it is at least 100 years old
a room usually intended for the storage of documents that are no longer usable, but have the name of God written on them, which Jews regard as sacred
What were the Crusades? Select one: a. a purge that expelled many Jews from the European continent in the medieval era b. a series of reforms introduced by the Catholic church in the medieval era that pertained to the relationship of Christians vis-a-vis Jews c. a series of attempted invasions of Europe by Muslim armies in the medieval era in order to reconquer territory from the hands of the Christians d. a term historians created to refer to a time of great political upheaval in medieval Europe e. a series of religiously-motivated wars between Christians and Muslims in the medieval era
a series of religiously-motivated wars between Christians and Muslims in the medieval era
What percentage of the Jewish population of what are today Germany and France slaughtered during the First Crusade? Select one: a. about ¼, between 3,500 and 7,500 b. about ⅔, between 10,000 and 20,000 c. about ⅔, between 200,000 and 600,000 d. about ⅓, between 100,000 and 300,000 e. about ⅓, between 5,000 and 10,000
about ⅓, between 5,000 and 10,000
How did Jews attempt to protect themselves during the First Crusade? Choose one or more. Select one or more: a. They petitioned Christian religious leaders (including bishops). b. They petitioned civil leaders (such as monarchs and local nobles). c. They bribed armies and local officials. d. They armed themselves in self-defense. e. all of the above f. a, b, and c only
all of the above
What aspects of Mediterranean Jewish life does the Cairo genizah shed light on? Select one: a. trade and business b. religious life c. poetry and art d. civil life e. all of the above f. a, b, and c only g. b and c only
all of the above
By the 9th century C.E., what percentage of world Jewry lived in a Muslim land? Select one: a. 10 percent b. 25 percent c. about on third d. almost 90 percent e. 100 percent
almost 90 percent
Why did medieval Germanic Jewish artists create zoocephalic images in their illuminated Hebrew manuscripts? Note: "zoocephalic" refers in this case to a human figure with the head of an animal. Select one: a. because it is more difficult to draw humans than animals, and few Jewish artists had sufficiently sophisticated training b. because German Jews were especially wary of the prohibition on portraying idols, and preferred to draw humans with animal heads instead of drawing fully human forms, which might have resembled Christian images of Jesus Christ or the Virgin Mary c. because German Christians drew Jews as animals to mock them, and German Jews internalized that style in their art, which is an example of inward acculturation, or shared culture d. It was their way of mocking Christian portrayals of Jews, which often included unflattering features like hooked noses. By portraying themselves as dogs or birds, they took the caricature to a humorous extreme. Thus, medieval Jewish art is an important example of peaceful resistance against the majority culture. e. because Germanic Christians banned portrayals of humans other than Christian figures such as Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, or saints
because German Jews were especially wary of the prohibition on portraying idols, and preferred to draw humans with animal heads instead of drawing fully human forms, which might have resembled Christian images of Jesus Christ or the Virgin Mary
Why do some scholars argue that Jewish life under Islamic rule was easier or better than Jewish life under Christian rule? Select one: a. because in Christian lands, Jews did not as a rule visit their Christian neighbors and exchange holiday gifts, or engage in commercial relations or artistic endeavors with Christians b. because accusing Jews of killing God is much more serious than accusing them of a rejecting a prophet c. because in Muslim countries, Jewish status was undistinguished from the status of Muslims, while in Christian lands, Jews occupied a second-class status d. because there is no documented record of persecution of Jews by Muslims, but there is a long record of persecution of Jews by Christians, particularly during the Crusades and the Holocaust e. because in Christian lands, Jews were not the only ones to have a special, second-class status, and therefore the persecution against them was harsher than in Muslim lands, where there was only one group (the Jews) who had a special, second-class status f. because there are no anti-Jewish statements in the Quran, while in the New Testament, Jews are associated with or even identified as the killers of Christ
because accusing Jews of killing God is much more serious than accusing them of a rejecting a prophet
Why would Christian and Jewish artisans have worked together to create medieval Hebrew illuminated manuscripts? Select one: a. because many Jews and Christians lived near each other and were part of a shared local economy, so cooperation helped them both b. because Christians viewed Hebrew texts as sacred, and represented a significant share of manuscript owners c. because Jewish artisans were forbidden from purchasing expensive gilt (gold) and inks for their own use d. because it was considered an act of piety for Christian artisans to donate time and effort to Jews, and Jews were grateful for the assistance e. because Jewish artisans often sought out relationships with Christians in a political effort to strengthen ties between the two communities
because many Jews and Christians lived near each other and were part of a shared local economy, so cooperation helped them both
In Islam, why were Jews considered ahl-al-kitab ("people of the book")? Select one: a. because they followed a nomistic faith b. because they had a legal text, the Talmud, which they were commanded to study on a daily basis c. because they had the Hebrew Bible, a sacred text revealed to them by God d. because they were a protected people (dhimmis) e. because their literacy rate was higher than the literacy rate in any other neighboring community or religious group
because they had the Hebrew Bible, a sacred text revealed to them by God
According to their Edict of Expulsion, why did King Ferdinand and Queen Isabel decide to expel the unbaptized Jewish community of Spain in 1492? Select one: a. because they wanted to rule over a unified Catholic country, and believed Jews would tempt Christians into heresy b. because they were badly in debt, and wanted to seize the wealth that the Jews left behind c. because they suspected Jews were conspiring to return Muslim rulers to power d. because the Inquisition had failed its aim, which was to convert the remaining Jews to Christianity e. The Pope advised them to expel the Jews in order to consolidate the church's power; the monarchs were reluctant, but acceded to his request.
because they wanted to rule over a unified Catholic country, and believed Jews would tempt Christians into heresy
Why, according to some historians, would Jews have allowed themselves to be depicted unfavorably in their Hebrew illuminated manuscripts? (By "unfavorably," art historians point to "swarthy skin," "hooked or bulbous noses," "large mouths and eyes," and "fleshy lips," all of which were associated in medieval Christian art with Jews or people who were sinful.) Select one: a. because they were accurate representations of what most Jews looked like b. because they wanted to portray themselves in a second-class position in order to avoid angering or threatening the Christian authorities c. because this was such a common trope in medieval Christian artwork that it might not have registered as offensive to Jews, or they might not have envisioned an alternative portrayal d. because Jews in their artwork portrayed Christians in similar ways e. because artists in medieval times were less skillful than they are now, and Jews knew most artists could not paint people very well anyway, so Jews were not offended by these images
because this was such a common trope in medieval Christian artwork that it might not have registered as offensive to Jews, or they might not have envisioned an alternative portrayal
Why did Jews seek out a "Royal Alliance" in medieval Christian Europe? Select one: a. because it allowed them freedom of movement, rather than forcing them to be bound to feudal lords b. because it was an opportunity to become very wealthy c. because Jews collected taxes for the king d. because, like the monarch, they desired to suppress riots and rebellion, which threatened both the king and the Jewish community e. because Jews thought the Jewish messiah would descend from one of the European Christian monarchs. f. because Jews themselves were of noble origin, like the Christian European monarchy g. all of the above
because, like the monarch, they desired to suppress riots and rebellion, which threatened both the king and the Jewish community
What was the estate or class, or what were the estates or classes, of medieval European Christian society? Select one or more: a. nobility b. peasantry c. clergy d. bureaucracy e. merchant class f. the Jewish priestly class
nobility, peasantry, clergy
Into which of the estates or classes of medieval European Christian society did Jews belong? Select one: a. nobility b. peasantry c. clergy d. bureaucracy e. merchant class f. the Jewish priestly class g. none of the above
none of the above
What is NOT a feature shared by both Judaism and Islam? Select one: a. the ban against eating pork b. strict monotheism and rejection of the Holy Trinity c. origins in the Land of Israel d. regard for the Hebrew Bible as sacred e. belief in a final day of judgment f. the use of a Semitic language as their sacred tongue
origins in the Land of Israel
In what order did the spiritual traditions below emerge on the world's stage? Christianity Islam Israelite religion Judaism polytheism
polytheism Israelite religion Judaism Christianity Islam
What was NOT one power of the kehilla? Select one: a. to excommunicate (banish) members b. to preside over court cases involving Jews c. to preside over court cases involving both Jews and Christians d. to collect taxes from its members e. to inflict fines or punishments on lawbreakers
to preside over court cases involving both Jews and Christians
